"Journey to Mars"

is a work for string quartet, oboe (also doubling on Cor Anglais) and synthesizers, with electric violin in the last movement. It was commissionedwith help from the

“RVW Trust”, to celebrate “Music at StJames”

20th Anniversary concert in March 2008.

The work was written for Richard (oboe and Cor) and JanetSimpson (keyboards) and the quartet. It was composed by Richard Kristonsson Aylwin and dedicatedto his good friend, Len Mather (1929-2009), who commissioned the piece.

The first performance was on 10th March 2008 atSt James Gatley , a second performance followed at

3rd performance was given on 18th May 2009 as part of the University of Hertfordshire MayFestconcerts.

1st Movement:The Flight

1stMvtOpening.mp3

The oboe is the human voice, the synth sounds are the spaceship. The quintuplet figure from the oboe is excitement and optimism. This changes atthe beginning of the 2nd section, one third of the way through; because as always on a long journey of several months, one thinks one will never arrive. This mood soon changes and by the end of the movement we are in orbit around Mars.

2nd Movement:The Landing

2ndMvt.mp3

2ndMvtTrio.mp3

Lots of downward whole tone scales, the rockets fire to descend. Trio section is the free fall part then the rockets fire again to land.

3rd Movement:Touchdown and Landscape

3rdMvtOrganSolo.mp3

3rdMvtCorSolo.mp3

The
organ shows the awe of a new landscape. The Cor Anglais expresses the
distance from home and the beautiful bleakness of the land. We goexploring in the centre section and there is a dialog between the Cor Anglais and an alien, real or imagined.

3rdMvtEnd.mp3

4thMovement:The Return-Joyous Dance

4thMvtMidFlight.mp3

This portrays the excitement of returning home having succeeded in the mission. Travel can change people and the 1st violin is electrified! Thestructure was set out by using prime numbers as was parts of the rest of the piece.

As in “Life on Mars” the TV series, “Journey to Mars” isalso a journey back to the 1970s in that the Roland Juno106 synth recreates many of the old Moog synthesiser sounds.